Love Dogs | Coleman Barks reads Rumi

1.
one night a man was crying:
Allah! Allah!

his lips grew sweet with the praising,
until a cynic said, 'so!
I have heard you calling out,
but have you ever gotten any response?'

the man had no answer for that.

he quit praying
and fell into a confused sleep,
where he dreamed.
he saw khidr, the guide of souls
in a thick green foliage.

- 'why did you stop praising?'

'because I never heard anything back.'

- 'this longing you express - is the return message.
the grief you cry out from
draws you toward union.
your pure sadness that wants help
is the secret cup.

listen to the moan of a dog for its master,
that whining is the connection.

listen to the moan of a dog for its master,
that whining is the connection.'

there are love dogs
no one knows the names of,
give your life to be one of them!

- Coleman Bark's rendition of 13th century sufi mystic Rumi's poetry

2.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, out of love for his Master, Lord of the Worlds, would stand up in the middle of the night to offer his gratitude to his Lord in prayer. He would pray for so long that his feet would swell!

When asked by his wife Aisha, being an exalted prophet and messenger who is already close to God, why he adored and worshiped God so much?

The Prophet's only response was: “Shall I not be a thankful servant of God?”

- sacred tradition of the Prophet recorded in the book of Bukhari and Muslim collection.

3.
When asked what his favorite name was, the Prophet used to say, 'AbduLlah' - 'servant of Allah'.


. Audio from Youtube video of Coleman Barks reading Rumi @ Mythic Journeys Conference. | art collage: Secret Cup of Love Dogs by Sadiq Salim
also # Rumi Recited by Coleman Barks @ Youtube